Ranking the Money in the Bank cash ins.

With Money in the Bank just around the corner I thought I would rank all the successful cash-ins of the Money in the Bank contract since its inception at WrestleMania 21.

14.  Sheamus

No disrespect to Big Sheamo, but this cash in was telegraphed from a mile away.  As soon as it was announced there would be semi finals and the final of the Championship tournament on the same night, and that it was obvious Roman Reigns was winning, everyone knew that Sheamus would be cashing in that night.  It doesnt help that he wasnt booked very well after winning, dropping the Championship back to Roman a few weeks later.

13. Alberto Del Rio

Coming right after Punk had unified the WWE championship after beating John Cena, he was inexplicably attacked by Kevin Nash.  This was still a surprising cash in but Del Rio only held the case for 4 weeks before cashing in, not allowing any real time to build up to a cash in.  Del Rio would drop the title to Cena shortly after before winning it back and dropping it again in quick succession, before drifting into the mid card for a while.  Held the World Championship a few times later in his career but never got to these heights again.

12. Jack Swagger

Winning the briefcase was surprise enough, but cashing in only two days later seemed an even bigger surprise.  Became the 2nd man to switch brands while cashing in, but unfortunately for him, the World Championship had dropped massively in prestige.  Beating Jericho for the title, he was then booked into the ground before eventually losing the title to Rey Mysterio a few months later.  Came close to winning the World Title again but a DUI charge destroyed any chance he had of returning to the peak.

11. The Miz

The Miz made sense as Money in the Bank holder, and cashing in on Orton provided a good starting platform, but after a bland heel vs heel match against Orton, then a mini feud with Jerry Lawler and being second fiddle to The Rock and John Cena.  Despite putting in good work, the WWE was in the doldrums and the product at the time was garbage.  Has since improved but never returned to the World Championship scene, and doesnt look likely to.

10.  CM Punk (1st cash in)

CM Punk became the first (and only) ECW star to win the Contract.  He held onto the case for months before being drafted to RAW, he would cash in on Edge the next week.  A big mark out moment for a lot of fans.  Wouldnt be booked great and was never pinned to lose the title, instead having to forfeit it after being attacked by Randy Orton.  Would drift back down the card for the next few months.

9. Edge (2nd cash in)

The only man to cash in two Money in the Bank contracts while only winning the match once.  He defeated an injured Mr Kennedy for Kennedys briefcase in a match on RAW.  The very next day Edge (a RAW superstar) would appear on SmackDown.  He cashed in his contract on a bloody Undertaker who had just survived a match against Batista and a beat down from Mark Henry.  While not his first cash in, or his first World Title, this would catapult him into programs with Undertaker, Batista and John Cena, cementing him as a true main eventer and securing his status as Hall of Famer.

8. Daniel Bryan

This was the second time Bryan attempted a cash in (his first was unsuccessful as Henry wasnt medically cleared to compete).  Cashing in on Big Show after he had just won the title from Mark Henry in a chairs match (sigh), Bryan put the wheels in motion of one of the greatest rises in WWE history.  Despite poor booking and mismatches, he held the title till WrestleMania and the infamous 18 second defeat to Sheamus.  This cash in also spawned his obnoxious 'Yes' chants, which evolved into one of the most loved chants in the company.

7. CM Punk (2nd cash in)

CM Punk became the first and only person to win two Money in the Bank ladder matches, and the only man to win at two WrestleManias back to back.  He held the briefcase for longer than he did the first time before cashing in on Jeff Hardy who had just won his second World Title in a TLC match against Edge.  Despite dropping the title to Hardy, he would win it back in an epic feud and then go on to birth the Straight Edge Society and becoming the companies number 1 heel in a matter of months.  Did much more for his career than the first despite dropping the belt in a poor feud with Undertaker.

6. Kane

The shortest time ever between winning the contract and cashing in, Kane cashed in on Rey Mysterio about an hour after winning the contract.  After 1 reign over 10 years earlier which lasted only a day, many saw this as vindication for a lengthy career.  Kicked off an epic heel turn in which he destroyed The Undertaker before dropping the title in forgetful fashion months later.  Will probably hold the record for shortest time holding the case for the rest of time.  Or until this Sunday... (ooohh foreshadowing)

5. Randy Orton

This wasnt a spectacular cash in per-say, but the implications were massive.  Daniel Bryan had just pinned John Cena clean for the WWE title.  Everyone thought the night was over as he celebrated and the confetti fell, before a heel turn from Triple H allowed Orton to cash in and send the crowd into a thunderous rage.  Threw another huge pile of momentum behind Bryan and gave him the sympathy needed to eventually win the title at Mania 30.

4. Rob Van Dam

The second winner and the first man to announce before hand where and when he was cashing in.  RVD would cash in for a title shot against Cena at the Reborn ECW PPV One Night Stand.  A ravenous crowd (the likes of which we havent seen since) saw RVD pin Cena to win his first and only World Title in WWE (albeit not a clean win).  Becoming the only man to hold the WWE and ECW titles at the same time, a DUI and possession charge would see him drop both those titles and drop down the card before leaving the company altogether.  Still, the atmosphere in the ECW arena was a very special moment and one we will remember forever.

3.  Dolph Ziggler

Ziggler held the briefcase for the then 2nd longest time (267 days).  Everyone was expecting a cash in the night before at WrestleMania but that never came to be, instead they saved it for the RAW after and it was definitely the better choice.  The crowd exploded in one of the loudest pops we have ever heard - despite Ziggler being a heel and cashing in on a Face Del Rio.  The iconic image of Ziggler marching out onstage flanked by AJ Lee and Big E Langston just the icing on the cake.

2.  Edge (1st Cash In)

It was extremely close between this and No.1.  Edge held the briefcase for a record 280 days.  A bloody John Cena has just defended his WWE Championship in a hellacious Elimination Chamber match.  As the Chamber was being raised Vince McMahon came out on stage and told the audience the night wasnt over.  Edge would then come out and hand McMahon the case before dispatching of Cena with two spears.  It was almost the perfect cash in.  No one expected it and it enhanced Edge's gimmick and the ultimate opportunist.  He may have dropped the title to Cena just 3 weeks later, but it was the launching pad to a stellar career.

1. Seth Rollins

A cash in full of firsts.  The first time a cash in has happened at WrestleMania, and the first time a cash in has happened mid-match.  Both of these added to the drama.  Lesnar and Reigns were already having a match well above expectations, but when both men were down and Rollins music hit it was just incredible.  It made perfect sense in both Kayfabe and Shoot.  Rollins was able to cash in after Ambrose (who vowed to never let Seth cash in) was in the hospital after a sick powerbomb through a ladder earlier in the night, and it worked in shoot because it gets the title of Lesnar without Roman going over and without Lesnar being pinned.  The stars aligned that night and thanks to perfect booking we had the perfect cash in.

Great read although I'd rank The Miz's cash in higher due to the reaction of Mike Mizanin becoming WWE Champion. May have been booked poorly but none of that was his fault and his cash in was brilliant.

Yeah I'd rank Miz's higher and Punk's 2nd cash in as well. Think Kane's, Daniel Bryan's and Edge's 2nd have all been overrated.

Miz's would be top three for me - crowd was buzzing, there was the bit where it looked like Orton would win, then he won - great stuff